Swedish opposition surges ahead of September election, poll shows ten-point lead

An opinion poll ordered by public broadcaster SVT indicates that Sweden’s centre-left parties hold a ten-point advantage over Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s four-party right-wing coalition ahead of the Sept. 13 election. Conducted from Aug. 3-16 with about 3,000 voters, the Verian poll assigns the opposition a combined 53.9% support, translating to roughly 196 parliamentary seats, versus 43.9% and 153 seats for the government bloc.

Magdalena Andersson, leader of the Social Democrats, is poised to become prime minister again after a four-year hiatus. The Social Democrats remain the largest single party at 30.5% support, a slight rise from the 2022 election. Campaign themes have focused on rising living costs, security, immigration, crime and energy supply. Analysts note that no government has ever closed such a gap in a short period, and only a “miracle” could avert defeat for Kristersson’s coalition.